G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #30

“Darkness”

Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Frank Springer

Summary

Zartan and the Dreadnoks notice a GI Joe Dragonfly landing at McGuire AFB. Zartan uses his hologram powers, disguised as “Hawk” and confirms the GI Joe presence. Zartan calls up Cobra Commander and tells him that McGuire HAS to be the GI Joe HQ. Meanwhile, Fred Broca and his family have moved into a suburban home, right outside the main gate of Fort Wadsworth. Just as Fred sets up his surveillance equipment, Cobra Commander calls up and orders him back to Springfield, aborting the snooping mission. The Joes figure out Zartan’s ruse and move out to McGuire to repel the Cobra attack. The Dreadnoks screw up the assault and Cobra Commander’s attack is quickly thwarted by what appears to be the entire Joe team (with all of their land vehicles). In other locales, Destro and Firefly have arrived in New York City, while in Springfield, the Baroness and Major Bludd have caught Billy snooping through a Cobra office.

Notes:

• Fred is now known as “Mr. Broca”, another anagram of “Cobra”.
• This is the first mention of the Dreadnoks’ love for chocolate covered donuts and grape soda.
• The Dreadnok toys were a late addition to the third wave of figures, being released around October 1984. “Coincidentally”, this issue has them on the cover and inside they get to show off their custom weapons.
• It’s mentioned that Hawk turned down a promotion to stay with the Joe team.
• Fred’s family moves in via Arbco Moving & Storage trucks. Cobra Commander arrives at McGuire via Arbco Brothers Circus trucks.
• Another continuity problem regarding Ft. Wadsworth. We’re shown that suburban houses are built RIGHT OUTSIDE THE MAIN GATE of Fort Wadsworth. A huge contrast compared to how Ft. Wadsworth was depicted in #19.
• Fred’s scene is played for comedy. Right as Cobra Commander calls to cancel his spy mission, the Joes roll all their armor through the main gate, in front of Fred’s house. Fred misses it, since he’s busy having a temper tantrum and smashing his equipment.
• By looking at any US road map, you can see that McGuire AFB is a good fifty miles from the southern tip of Staten Island. So we’re to believe that the Joes rolled their tanks and stuff down the New Jersey turnpike? One scene even shows them driving over the Channel Bridge. It was the middle of the night, but I guess that “secret identity” thing isn’t so important anymore (see issue 3)
• The Pit was still in renovation, but it seems stupid that the “top-secret” Joes would park additional VAMPs, Skystrikers and other vehicles at McGuire.
• Cobra Commander’s assault force consists of TWO HISS tanks and TWO FANG copters.
• The FANGs are mistakenly called SNAP copters.
• Hawk drives the VAMP into battle and the RAM appears like Ghost Rider’s old 1970’s cycle. Clutch sits in the back of the VAMP, as if it has a gunner’s seat or turret. It also appears that there are TWO Rock n’ Rolls in the big battle. Lot of lazy work in this issue. The armor battle saves it, though. Hadn’t been a big battle since #19.

Appearances:

Characters (with figures): Hawk, Scarlett, Clutch, Doc, Wild Bill, Short Fuse, Ace, Stalker, Steeler, Rock n’ Roll (x2), more team members in background/indistinct cameo roles. Cobra Commander, Crimson Guardsman Fred Broca, Destro, Firefly, Baroness, Major Bludd, Zartan, Ripper, Buzzer, Torch

Characters (no action figures, or “comic-only” characters): Billy, “Broca Family”

Vehicles and stuff (toys): Dragonfly, VAMP, “RAM”, APC, Wolverine, MOBAT, Skystriker, HISS, FANG
Vehicles and stuff (not toys): none

Firsties:
Characters:not really a firstie, but this is the first close-up we’ve seen of a “Cobra HISS Driver”, with their nifty red armor.
Vehicles: none

Rating: 3 Flag Points